The success of most businesses is determined by their brand image and what helps to establish your brand in the market is a press release. By writing and distributing a press release, your business or the brand can have a better image and awareness in the market while boosting its visibility and presence. There are many ways to do it and one of the most convenient ways is to hire a professional agency for the task.
With a simple search on Google, you can find a handful of PR sites offering a variety of services. Some of the m can be very alluring, especially if it’s a free press release site. Such platforms can offer you free services for PR writing and distribution and it is applicable to all kinds of industries. Some of the platforms also offer freemium services for a limited time or first-time use.
Now, the biggest question is, should you trust a free PR distribution site?
It is not like every other free press release site will be offering you fruitful results, as you know “you get what you pay for”. But it can be really helpful for beginners and independent individuals who are short on budget. A comparative discussion between the pros and cons of a free site will help you come up with a better decision.
Pros
1. Free of Cost
The cost factor is a major pro for free sites as they charge you absolutely nothing for their services. You can make a distribution at the time of your need with these free PR sites, even if you do have not an adequate budget for the purpose. The free cost helps startup companies, as well as independent individuals to avail of the service and their exposure in the market.
Cons
1. Does not Focus on Niche
The free PR sites can have a big distribution network but not necessarily it will work for you as most of the news sites and media platforms are commonplace for all kinds of news rather than an industry-focused approach. Therefore, if you are looking forward to creating a buzz in the niche industry and communities, it might not happen through free services.
2. Does not offer guaranteed placement
Free PR sites also do not offer any guaranteed placement. So, all you can do is wait to get featured. Even if your press release does get the chance; you are in no position to claim that as they do not guarantee it. As a result, there can be some moments of dissatisfaction where you can do nothing. While the agency is obliged to offer you the services, they are not bound to any strict terms for offering fruitful results.
3. It is Apparent, not Transparent
The free PR sites promise to offer good results at the end of the campaign but there is no way of knowing whether your press release is working effectively or not since the free agencies do not offer any analytical report. It is not just transparency, but can also lack professionalism and customer service because, apparently; nobody really cares about a free service since you have nothing to lose.
It is evident that free PR sites come with a handful of cons which make it not a wise choice for business owners and individuals who are trying to improve their position in the market. However, it can greatly help newcomers who are just embarking on their journey.
